You've got some interesting points, again, and you are right to remind me that Jodel's theories - and mine - are, after all, just theories. (Yes, I did say this myself on the hogwartsprofessor forum, but we can't remind ourselves of this too often, IMHO!).
One thing you say does puzzle me: what makes you think Lupin is the marauder Snape hates the *most*? He is the one we've seen the most interactions with, but it seems to me Severus hates James and Sirius at least as much as he does Remus, if not more so. For Peter he seems to have mostly disdain and comtempt, but 'hatred' might not be too strong a word there, either.
As for your other point - that Snape might truly hate muggles - I think we are meant to think this. Harry certainly does. And it may be true. But, if it is true, I'd find it a bit heavy-handed and disappointing. It would tend to lead straight to 'evil Snape', and furthermore, an evil Snape whose motivations are almost identical to Voldemort's. Why have Voldemort at all, then, since Snape is scarier, more present, more believable and infinitely more human than Voldemort? I'd really rather that Snape weren't merely Saruman to Voldemort's Sauron - in LOTR, these two actually represent two different types of evil, but that wouldn't seem true of Voldemort and Snape, at least not so far. Also, as I think I told you before, Severus Snape seems far more familiar with muggle culture than most wizards - for example, I've a suspicion that, unlike Arthur Weasley, he would actually be able to light a match. And, other than the infamous (and truly terrible) 'nudblood' comment to Lily, he has never once said anything racist in 6 books. Yes, that "I, the half-blood prince," remark to Harry is pretty creepy, and I'm not sure yet how to interpret it, but otherwise there just isn't any evidence that Snape hates muggles. I've a sneaking suspicion that he could fit into the muggle world a lot better than most wizards. This, also, is just a theory that might be proven wrong, but, as of the end of HBP, I am strongly inclined not to believe what Harry believes, just because the kid showed himself as thoroughly nonreflective, not to say hard-headed, throughout the book. And Harry believes Severus is a racist who hates muggles and is just like Voldemort. Therefore, I don't believe that! Pretty hardheaded and nonreflective of me, perhaps, but there you go!
Re: thanks for your comment!
One thing you say does puzzle me: what makes you think Lupin is the marauder Snape hates the *most*? He is the one we've seen the most interactions with, but it seems to me Severus hates James and Sirius at least as much as he does Remus, if not more so. For Peter he seems to have mostly disdain and comtempt, but 'hatred' might not be too strong a word there, either.
As for your other point - that Snape might truly hate muggles - I think we are meant to think this. Harry certainly does. And it may be true. But, if it is true, I'd find it a bit heavy-handed and disappointing. It would tend to lead straight to 'evil Snape', and furthermore, an evil Snape whose motivations are almost identical to Voldemort's. Why have Voldemort at all, then, since Snape is scarier, more present, more believable and infinitely more human than Voldemort? I'd really rather that Snape weren't merely Saruman to Voldemort's Sauron - in LOTR, these two actually represent two different types of evil, but that wouldn't seem true of Voldemort and Snape, at least not so far. Also, as I think I told you before, Severus Snape seems far more familiar with muggle culture than most wizards - for example, I've a suspicion that, unlike Arthur Weasley, he would actually be able to light a match. And, other than the infamous (and truly terrible) 'nudblood' comment to Lily, he has never once said anything racist in 6 books. Yes, that "I, the half-blood prince," remark to Harry is pretty creepy, and I'm not sure yet how to interpret it, but otherwise there just isn't any evidence that Snape hates muggles. I've a sneaking suspicion that he could fit into the muggle world a lot better than most wizards. This, also, is just a theory that might be proven wrong, but, as of the end of HBP, I am strongly inclined not to believe what Harry believes, just because the kid showed himself as thoroughly nonreflective, not to say hard-headed, throughout the book. And Harry believes Severus is a racist who hates muggles and is just like Voldemort. Therefore, I don't believe that! Pretty hardheaded and nonreflective of me, perhaps, but there you go!